Device for making wire fabrics.



F. H. HAMBLIN.

DEVICE FOR MAKING wm'n FABRICS.

' APPLIOATION FILED APR.6. 1908.

Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

In Mmdw FRANK H. HAMBLIN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR MAKING WIRE FABRICS.

Specification of Iletters Patent.

Patented. Oct. 12, 1909.

Application filed April 6, 1908. Serial No. 425,567.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HAMBLIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at lVorcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Device for Making WireFabrics, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for wire working purposes and whilecapable of general use, it is especially designed for the purpose ofmaking wire bed fabrics and similar structures. Ordinarily, a certaintype of wire bed fabrics are made by placing short pieces of wirehavingbends in their ends in position with each of said bends extendingthrough one of the four eyes or perforations of the square comiectingpieces with which the fabric is supplied. These bent ends of the wiresare then bent over.

The invention also involves means whereby fabrics may be made in whichthe length of the wire varies both longitudinally and transversely withrespect to the fabric and means for bending down a plurality ofhookshaped ends of the wire at one operation. It also involves theprovision of a series of die-holders each transversely adjustable andadapted to be fixed in adjusted positions and each carrying a series ofdies for receiving said wires, said dies being longitudinally adjustablein the die-holders and having spacing blocks between them WlllCl'l arereadily removable so that spacing blocks of other lengths may beinserted when the mesh of the fabric is to be varied, these dies alsobeing capable of being secured in adj usted positions.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing which shows one formin which the invention may be carried out, and in which,

Figure 1 is a plan thereof. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, and Fig. 3 is asectionalview of a portion of the device on an enlarged scale.

The device is shown as mounted on'a bed 10 which ordinarily is ofconsiderable extent and is provided with one or more guides or ways'11-, on which fit a plurality of dieholders 12. In the form shownthereare two of these guides, one near each end, each of a T-shape andthe die-holders are provided with correspondingly shaped and locatedgrooves at their opposite ends which receive the guidesand along whichthe die-holders are. adapted to slide transversely. The dieholders arefixed in their adjusted positions in any convenient way, as for example,by

screws or bolts 13 screwed into the base plate from below. Each of thedie-holders is also provided with a guide shown in the drawings in theform of a dove-tailed groove 14. This groove in each die-holder receivesa plurality of dies 15 which are provided with means for engaging theguide or dove-tailed groove 14 of a shape similar thereto so that thedies may be slid along or adjusted longitudinally in the die-holder.This means is sihown in the form of projections 16 on each By having thedies fitthe guide, it will be seen that if either the edge of the die orthe guide overhangs the other, the dies cannot be lifted directlyupwardly but can be adjusted along the die-holder so as to place them atany desired distance apart. These dies it will be observed are providedwith longitudinal grooves 17 and with transverse grooves 18.

Between the dies are located spacing blocks 19 having longitudinalgrooves 20 registering with the grooves 17 and loosely fitting theguides of the die-holders but not provided with projections similar tothe projections 16 of the dies. On account of this construction, thespacing blocks may be lifted vertically from the die-holders while thedies are movable longitudinally therein only. This provides a convenientway in which the dies may be adjusted and the spacing blocks removed andreplaced by others either longer or shorter in accordance 'with theparticular adjustment which it is desired to make.

It will be seen that the bottoms of the grooves 17 18 and 20 are all inthe same plane and are located not lower than the tops of thedie-holders as indicated. Consequently, the unformed fabric can beplaced in position on a device made up of a plurality of die holderseach carrying a series of dies, as is clearly indicated in the drawings.Another advantage of the invention when applied to the manufacture ofbed fabrics,

is that after the die-holders and dies are i properly adjusted, part ofthe wires 21 may be placed 1n position and the connecting pieces 22placed on them in a very simple y the die h ld th Wir sun in properposition for receiving the connecting pieces, After the dies and spacingblocks are prop: erly adjusted, they are secured in adj'usted positionpreferably by means of a pair of; fastening blocks 23 at each end ofeach dieholden. These fastening blocks are of a shape similar to thatof'the dies but do not project as high and they are provided withfastening screws 24 for holding them in position. Then when all is readya flat plate 25 is brought down by any desired means on the tops of thehookeshaped bends 26 of the wires 21 which are used to form the fabric.This plate bends the wires down intov the position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 3 and securely locks them to the connecting pieces 22.Preferably this flat plate extends across the whole series ofdie-holders and covers two of the dies in each die-holder so that inoperation the plate or bending device is brought down once to bend thewires held by two series of dies across the device and then the latteris fed forward or the plate is fed in the other direction a certaindistance. Then the operation is repeated and the fabric is made in avery short time, as will be clearly understood.

While'I have illustrated and described a preferred ferrn of theinvention, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by anyperson skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed in the claims, Therefore, I do not wish to belimited to the particular details and constructions shown, but

What I do claim is 1. In a press for making link fabrics, the combinatinwith a series of die holders arranged side by side and laterallyadjustable, and a series of dies longitudinally adjustable on eachdie-holder and'having slots in their upper faces at right angles'to eachother with their bottoms all in the same plane to receive wire links, ofa fiat press head adapted to press the links in said slots.

In a press for making link fabrics, the combination with a plurality ofparallel guides, a plurality of'die-holders arranged to slide on saidguides in a direction transverse to the length of the die-holders, and aplurality of; dies mounted on said dieholders and having slots in theirupper faces at right angles to each other to receive wire links, eachofsaid dies being movable in a direction transverse to that in which thedieholders are adjustable, of a flat press head adapted to press thelinks in said slots.

3, In a device of the character described, the combination of a seriesof die-holders arranged side by side and laterally adjustable, a seriesof dies longitudinally adjustable on each die-holder, and spacing blocksremovably mounted between said dies.

4;. In a device of the character described,

he ccmb nation Qt a eri s. of ie-hc arranged side by side and laterallyadjustable, a series of dies longitudinally adjustable on eachdie-holder, said die-holders having ways in which said dies are mountedto slide, and spacing blocks between said dies mounted in said ways andremovable from between the dies when the dies are in position.

In a device of the character described, the combination of a series ofdie-holders arranged side by side and laterally adjustable, a series. ofdies longitudinally adjust? able on each die-holder, said dieholdershaving ways in which said dies are mounted to slide, spacing blocksbetween said dies mounted in said ways and removable from bet-ween thedies when the dies are in position, each die having transverse gi'omlestherein and each spacing block having a groove arranged longitudinallyof the dieholder and registering with one of the grooves in eachadjacent die.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a seriesof die-holders arranged side by Side and laterally adjust.- able, aseries of dies longitudinally adjusts able on each dieholder', saiddie-holders having ways in which said dies are mounted to slide, spacingblocks between said dies mounted in said ways and removable frombet-ween the dies when the dies are in posi: tion, and blocks at bothends of each series of dies adapted to be fastened in position to holdthe dies and spacing blocks in posi: tion;

7. In a device for making spring bed fabrics and the like, thecombination of a series of laterally movable die-holders, means forfixing said die-holders in adjusted posi: tions, each die-holder havinga longitudinal dove-tailed groove, a. series of dies fitting the groovein each die-holder, and adjustable therealong and removable only at theends of said dove-tailed grooves, a series of spacing blocks removableupwardly from a position between the dies, said spacing blocks havinggrooves arranged longitudinally of the die-holders and said dies havingcross ing grooves, one of which registers with the grooves in thespacing blocks.

8. In a device for making spring bed fabrics and the like, thecombination of a series of laterally movable dice-holders, means forfixing said clierliolders in adjusted positions, each die-holder havinga longitudinal dove-tailed groove, a series of dies fitting the groovein each die=holder and adjustable therealong and removable only at theends of said dove-tailed grooves, a series of spacing blocks removableupwardly from a position between the dies, said spacing blocks havinggrooves arranged longitudi: nally of the die-holders and said dieshaving crossing grooves, one of which registers with the grooves in thespacing blocks, and means at the ends of the series of dies ineachdieholder for fixing them in position thereon.

9. In a device for making spring-bed fabrics and the like, thecombination of a dieholder having a longitudinal dove-tailed groove, aseries of dies fitting the groove in the die-holder and adjustabletherealong and removable only at the ends of said dovetailed groove, aseries of spacing blocks removable upwardly from a position between thedies, said spacing blocks having grooves arranged longitudinally'of thedie-holders and said dies having crossing grooves, one of whichregisters with the grooves in the spacing blocks, and means at the endsof the series of dies in each die-holder for fixing them in positionthereon.

10. In a device for making spring-bed fab-V rics and the like, thecombination of a dieholder having a longitudinal dove-tailed groove, aseries of dies fittin thegroove in the die-holder, and adjustabletherealong and removable only at the ends of said dovetailed groove, anda series of spacing blocks removable upwardly from a position betweenthe dies.

11. In a device for making spring-bed fabrics and the like, thecombination of a dieholder having a longitudinal dove-tailed groove, aseries of dies fitting the groove in the die-holder, and adjustabletherealong and removable only at the ends of said dovetailed groove, aseries of spacing blocks removable upwardly from a position between thedies, said spacing blocks having grooves arranged longitudinally .of thedie-holders and said dies having crossing grooves, one of whichregisters with the grooves in the spacing blocks. 7

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of adie-holder, a series of dies longitudinally adjustable on the dieholder,said die-holder having a way in which said dies are mounted to slide,spacing blocks between said dies mounted in said way, and blocks atbothends of the series of dies adapted to be fastened in position tohold the dies and spacing blocks in position.

13. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a die-holder, a series of dies longitudinallyadjustable on the dieholder, and spacing blocks removably mountedbetween said dies.

14:. In a device for making spring-bed fabrics and the like, thecombination of a series of laterally adjustable die-holders, a pluralityof dies adjustably mounted in each die-holder, each die having crossinggrooves in alinement with each other longitudinally of the die holdersfor holding a plurality of wires which are to be bent to form a portionof the bed fabric, means for fixing said die-holders and dies inadjusted positions, and a fiat plate extending across the series ofdie-holders and adapted to cover certain of said dies for bending thewires to fasten them in the fabric.

15. In a device for making spring-bed fabrics and the like, thecombination of a series of longitudinally and laterally adjustable dieseach having means for holding the ends of four wires in the same plane,means for holding said dies in adjusted positions, and

a flat plate adapted to press down upon the top of said dies.

16. In a device for forming bed fabrics and the like, the combination ofa plurality of parallel series of dies, each series being adjustablelaterally and each die being adjustable longitudinally in the series,and removable spacing blocks between the dies in each series.

17 A device for forming bed fabrics and the like, comprisin a pluralityof series of dies, each series of dies being adjustable as a whole andeach die being adjustable individually, each die having longitudinal andtransverse grooves in the top surface thereof for holding the ends offour wires, the longitudinal grooves being in alinement in all positionsof the dies.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK H. HAMBLIN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT E. FAY, C. FORREST VVEssoN.

